Thanks to Dawn for hosting The Broken Hearts Blogfest! Make sure you check out all the other entries!
As a writer for young adults, broken hearts often feature in my writing. The below is an extract from my YA work in progress, IF I SHOULD DIE.
Very rough blurb: When Grace is killed in a car accident everyone blames James. He can deal with their anger, after all, he was driving, and he blames himself too. But when the ghost of Grace starts appearing every time James starts to move on with his life, he finds that life after death isn't as simple as it sounds.
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As a writer for young adults, broken hearts often feature in my writing. The below is an extract from my YA work in progress, IF I SHOULD DIE.
Very rough blurb: When Grace is killed in a car accident everyone blames James. He can deal with their anger, after all, he was driving, and he blames himself too. But when the ghost of Grace starts appearing every time James starts to move on with his life, he finds that life after death isn't as simple as it sounds.
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Catherine looked up at me through her damp lashes. "Neither of us can be with the person we love, James. You're lonely and so am I."
"That's even more of a reason for us to stay away from each other." I stepped back but hit the wall, and she moved even closer to me. "I'll just hurt you, Cat."
She laughed bitterly and drew her fingers down my neck, stopping at the first button of my shirt in a featherlight motion that gave me shivers. "You can't hurt me. You're even more damaged than me."
I placed one hand over hers and used my other to catch of lock of hair and wind it around my finger. "I'm not damaged. I'm broken."
Catherine rose up on the tips of her toes and pushed her lips against mine. I stiffened and moved my hands to her shoulders to try push her away, but they dropped down to her waist and pulled her even closer.
What are you doing, James? Grace's whisper echoed in my head. You're forgetting me.
I have to. I tried to push Grace away. Catherine was right. This empty loneliness was gnawing through me and tearing me apart. I needed to feel something again, but I wasn't sure I knew how.
So I kissed Catherine back.
I kissed her lips, and then her neck, burying myself in her hair, but all I could see was Grace. Grace laughing, her green eyes making my breath catch in my throat. Grace crying tears that made my heart crack inside me. Grace in my arms, so warm and real, where she should have stayed forever.
James!
I wrenched myself away from Catherine with a gasp. She reached out for my arm but I twisted away and held my hands up defensively.
"I'm sorry, I can't."
Catherine's cheeks flushed, and she smoothed her disheveled hair. "Grace is dead, James." She twirled around and headed to the door, pausing in the opening to look back at me. "Eventually you'll have to start living again."
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Thanks for reading! :)
"That's even more of a reason for us to stay away from each other." I stepped back but hit the wall, and she moved even closer to me. "I'll just hurt you, Cat."
She laughed bitterly and drew her fingers down my neck, stopping at the first button of my shirt in a featherlight motion that gave me shivers. "You can't hurt me. You're even more damaged than me."
I placed one hand over hers and used my other to catch of lock of hair and wind it around my finger. "I'm not damaged. I'm broken."
Catherine rose up on the tips of her toes and pushed her lips against mine. I stiffened and moved my hands to her shoulders to try push her away, but they dropped down to her waist and pulled her even closer.
What are you doing, James? Grace's whisper echoed in my head. You're forgetting me.
I have to. I tried to push Grace away. Catherine was right. This empty loneliness was gnawing through me and tearing me apart. I needed to feel something again, but I wasn't sure I knew how.
So I kissed Catherine back.
I kissed her lips, and then her neck, burying myself in her hair, but all I could see was Grace. Grace laughing, her green eyes making my breath catch in my throat. Grace crying tears that made my heart crack inside me. Grace in my arms, so warm and real, where she should have stayed forever.
James!
I wrenched myself away from Catherine with a gasp. She reached out for my arm but I twisted away and held my hands up defensively.
"I'm sorry, I can't."
Catherine's cheeks flushed, and she smoothed her disheveled hair. "Grace is dead, James." She twirled around and headed to the door, pausing in the opening to look back at me. "Eventually you'll have to start living again."
- - -
Thanks for reading! :)
